Without accountability or oversight.. 19 Palestinians have been martyred by settlers in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war

SadaNews Translation - A report by the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, published on Friday, regarding the settlers’ assaults in the West Bank, stated that 19 Palestinians have been martyred by settlers throughout the West Bank since the onset of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The report indicated that among the total number, 5 were martyred in the village of Aqaba near Nablus, noting that there are striking characteristics in all 19 cases, as they all occurred within Palestinian villages and in their agricultural fields while working there, with no incidents occurring in any settlement outpost or farm or settlement.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority confirms that 23 have been martyred by settler gunfire in the West Bank since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

According to the newspaper, as translated by SadaNews, most of the incidents were documented with video clips and pictures, but the Israeli police did not conduct adequate investigations regarding them.

It pointed out that in the two cases examined recently, it was found that no suspect had been interrogated, and no eyewitnesses had been questioned to provide their testimonies.

It noted that another recurring issue in all incidents is whether the shooters were settlers or soldiers, and in most cases, Palestinians identify the perpetrators as settlers from nearby outposts or settlements, with some of them wandering around wearing military pants simply because a large number of residents in these areas are members of the regional defense force, which is largely composed of settlement residents. They receive training from the Israeli army and carry M16 weapons, and when they arrive in a Palestinian village as a group, it is unclear whether they are on an official mission or taking personal initiative.

It stated: Even in the case of an investigation, such as in the case of the martyrdom of Awda al-Hathalin in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron at the end of July, the settler who fired was released and returned to the area as if nothing had happened, while Palestinians who were present at the scene and were eyewitnesses were arrested and interrogated on suspicion of committing "assault."

The newspaper added in its report sarcastically about what is happening: "The police's behavior can be justified by Itamar Ben Gvir's seizure of police leadership, as he often boasts that he does this and the revolution he sparked within the police, especially in the department responsible for the West Bank,” referring to statements from Israeli police and Shin Bet officials over the past two years regarding the lack of accountability for crimes committed by settlers in the West Bank.

The newspaper continues: "This claim is warranted in reality; two weeks ago, Ben Gvir visited the illegal Ma’ale Amos settlement outpost east of Gush Etzion, accompanied by two senior officers who sat with the young settlers, namely the police chief in the West Bank, Moshe Ben-Shemesh, and the commander of the border police forces, Nisso Gita. They were accompanied on the visit by Elisha Yared, a prominent right-wing activist in everything related to establishing settlement outposts and pastoral activities, who himself was arrested two years ago on suspicion of involvement in the murder of a Palestinian from the village of Burqa, and he was released... At that time, these were the last paralyzing operations that afflicted the police as a body responsible for maintaining security and order."

The newspaper quotes a former senior police officer who served in the West Bank: "This was indeed one of the last attempts by the Israeli police to pretend that they are enforcing the law in the Palestinian territories."

It says, as translated by SadaNews: "Regarding the visit of senior police officers to the illegal settlement outpost, it is worth noting that they are not the only ones, as military chiefs also visit illegal settlement outposts, but not to evacuate them. Last Friday, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited the illegal Maoz Shaul farm in the Afni Hefts area, which was established about three months ago. The statement from the Israeli army spokesperson regarding the Chief of Staff's tour that day in the Palestinian territories only mentioned his visit to the Tulkarem refugee camp, and did not include a visit to the illegal settlement outpost."

It added: "The issue of Ben Gvir’s takeover of the police and the neutralization of its work in the occupied territories could have posed an internal Israeli problem, were it not for a secondary and marginal issue that obligates international law for an occupying state to have clear obligations towards the civilian population in the occupied territories. There are a considerable number of Israelis who believe that Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) is not occupied land, but their opinion on this matter is not taken seriously... The world sees us as an occupying state, and this defines us as the authority in control of that area, and Israel has a duty to protect and guarantee the safety of the Palestinian population in the areas under its control, namely areas (C) and (B). By ensuring their safety, among other things, this means that in the event of violent attacks causing physical harm or property damage, let alone cases resulting in death, a professional and impartial investigation must be conducted to find the responsible parties and bring them to justice if necessary."

Yuli Novak, director general of the B'Tselem organization, which collects testimonies about incidents of violence in the Palestinian territories, states that settlers under this government enjoy complete immunity: "We have reached a situation where settlers in the West Bank kill Palestinians in broad daylight, sometimes directly in front of cameras, without suffering any consequences because they enjoy immunity... Yinon Levy, who shot al-Hathalin, knew he could smile immediately after the killing, as other shooters realized there was no need to fear, as politicians support this killing, the police do not investigate, the courts release the shooters, and the result is that Palestinians lack the ability to defend themselves and their families when settlers attack them."